Why did the Nazis focus on physical education for girls

and how does this fit in with their vision of the

primary role of women within society?
Hitler writing in Mein Kampf

“In the education of girls in the German state the

emphasis must be placed primarily on physical education;
only after that should the spiritual and mental values be
considered. The one goal always kept in mind when
educating girls is that some day they aim to be mothers.”
 According to Hitler, why should German women have as
many children as possible?
From Hitler’s speech at the Nuremberg Rally of 8th September 1934

The world of a woman is her husband, her children, her

house. But where would the greater world be if there was
no one to care for the small world?

Every child that a woman brings into the world is a battle

fought for the existence of her people.

Discuss:
Which of Hitler’s main ideas regarding the family are being
shown here?
 How did Hitler encourage the growth of families?
How does this fit in with Nazi ideas regarding the family?

Taken from www.schoolhistory.co.uk

When Hitler came to power in 1933, he introduced a ‘Law

for the Encouragement of Marriage’. The law said that the
government would give all newly married couples loans of
1000 marks (about nine months wages). When the first
child was born, the couple could keep a quarter of the
money. On the birth of the second child, they could keep
the second quarter. They could keep the third quarter on
the birth of their third child, and the entire amount on
the birth of a fourth.
 How does knowledge of the Reichs Mother Service
reinforce the conclusions that you have already reached
regarding the expected role of women within Germany
after 1933?

Frau Gertrud Scholtz-Klink the Nazi Women’s leader in 1938.

In 1933 we set up the Reichs Mother Service to train

women. The object of such training is to teach them about
their great duties: upbringing and education of their
children and domestic and economic tasks.
Domestic tasks: Economic tasks:
What does this source tell you about the importance that
Hitler placed upon women starting a family?
Why was this seen as being so important?

For outstanding service in the fight against a falling

birth rate.
Bronze = four children
Silver = six children
Gold = eight children

The Mutterkreuz (The Mother Cross)

What does this stamp from the Nazi period tell you about
the importance placed upon the role of motherhood?

What can you see?

It may be of interest to note

* how the oldest boy is dressed
* how many male children there appear to be compared to female
According to this source had the Nazi propaganda drive to
push up the birth rate been successful by 1936?

Germany 1918-1945, Greg Lacey and Keith Sheppard.

In 1900 there had been over two million live births per year
but this had dropped to just under one million in 1933.

In 1936 there were over 30% more births than

there had been in 1933.

Roughly how many more births (as a figure) were there in

1936 compared to 1933?
 According to this source not all women were happy to
comply with the wishes of the Nazi Party? Why not?
Weimar and Nazi Germany Stephen Lee, 1996

A few women joined opposition groups like the Communists

or the Social Democrats. A large number however, actually
worked within the system…They criticised the policy on
three grounds…many women would remain unfulfilled…women
were being deprived of (life) experience which was vital for
their (personal development)…women had particular talents
for certain types of employment.
 The Nazis wanted women to stay at home and raise a family.
Look at the following statistics.

The number of women employed in 1933, 1936 and 1939

1933 – 11.48 million

1936 – 11.7 million

1939 – 12.7 million

How successful were the Nazis in encouraging women to stay at

home during the 1930’s and why do you think this was?
Further sources and information can be found at:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERwomen.htm
Information and sources

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~aliandy/naziwomen_2.htm
An Interactive Revision Test

http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/germany/women.htm
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An interactive revision diagram

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